They could not call 911 or man the hose, but pet dogs Jack and Riley managed to save their owner as her house was engulfed by fire.

Tracy Bracewell was asleep at 3 a.m. when the dogs began fussing, but through the fogginess of sleep, the office manager for Frontier Financial Services just thought her husband, Jason was home.

She didn't hear the crackling or feel the heat of the fire that had already claimed the bathroom which was only feet from her bedroom.

Mrs. Bracewell said: "I went to bed around midnight. The dogs had started growling and they will normally growl when Jason comes home.

"But then Jack started getting really aggressive. When I heard the glass break I thought it was a prowler. I didn't smell smoke or hear the crackling.

"Then Riley was really grabbing my hair. That's when I got up and grabbed a stick and opened the door. The bathroom had already gone at that point. Jack ran right out.

"I ran back into the bedroom to see if I could get the cat, but Pumpkin wouldn't move. It was either me or the dog or the cat. I left the door open in case the cat could get out.

"I grabbed my portable phone and cell phone and I called Jason. I had 911 on the other phone and the woman there stayed on the phone until the Police got here."

Mrs. Bracewell then had to wait at the end of her driveway watching the house she and her husband bought in 1994, burn.

After getting his wife's call, Jason who had been at Coconut Rock Restaurant, grabbed his friend and the two drove from Hamilton to his Riddell's Bay home – managing to get there even before the fire trucks had arrived.

Smoke was so thick Mr. Bracewell could not breathe as he entered his home to try and grab a flashlight. His friend ran in to grab the dog, Riley.

The flames were so high that Mrs. Bracewell's sister who drove over from Camp Hill, Warwick, could see what looked like an 'orange' house.

Two hours after the Fire Department arrived, the flames had been extinguished, but their house was ruined. Pumpkin, who had hidden under a chair in the bedroom, though drenched and covered in soot survived the fire.

Lieutenant Dana Lovell of the Fire Department said a short in the old electrical wiring tied to the water heater was the cause of the fire, which happened on April 25.

Exacerbating the fire were the linens, jewellery and other items stored in the closet, which means the Bracewell's have lost everything they own – except for Mrs. Bracewell's mother's twenty-fifth anniversary ring found in the ashes by a firewoman on the scene.

She said: "I lost my mother five years ago. The firefighter looked down and picked up that one thing out of all the ash. How that was found, I don't know.

"I believe that was my mom kicking the dogs saying get her up. If that was the only thing to survive at least I have that."

But it doesn't make their current situation any easier as they live out of trash bags of clothes and an extra room at her dad's house.

Not ones to ask for help or complain about their situation, the Bracewells are struggling to get construction quotes and funding for a roof.

Friends and relatives, however, have come out in droves on the Facebook website 'Home is where the Heart is' – set up by their friend Monique Simons to offer support.

Among other things those wanting to help can go to Arnolds Tile and put money toward tiles for the couple.

Other friends are hoping to hold a fundraising event on July 6 at Riddell's Bay Golf Club where the couple got married three and half years ago.

For more information or if you would like to help contact Mrs. Bracewell atthe web address: tharris@northrock.bm or on 505-4263.

Tracy and Jason Bracewell never thought they were going to face the daunting task of rebuilding their house.

But as the two watched their two-bedroom Riddell's Bay house become engulfed in flames, they realised there were messages they needed to get out to the public.

1. Water heaters and linen closets do not mix.

Lieutenant Dana Lovell of the Fire Department offered these words. He said: "We advise all residents to be mindful of storage especially when there is a need to place storage around plugs and heat."

Keeping linens separate from the heaters as well as not placing carpets over cords could help contain any chance of the fire.

Lt. Lovell also suggested having a certified electrician look at the wiring in the house to ensure it is not too old and if it needs to be redone.

2. Plan for a fire at your house. If you had one, would you know which way the fire truck could approach to put it out?

Overgrown hedges can pose problems to accessing homes especially during the summer months, according to Lt. Lovell.

He urged all residents to maintain and contain the growth of the hedges.

3. Make sure your house is insured for the correct amount.

The Bracewell's discovered their house may be under-insured, which means payments on claims can be severely limited.

If you have concerns about how much your house is insured for you should contact your insurer. Mr. Bracewell said: "Make sure you have the coverage you need. It could be a million bucks for basic construction, so you need to keep an eye on how much construction is costing."

4. Help the Fire Department find your house.

Lt. Lovell also encouraged all residents to make sure their house number was prominently displayed, which helps them pinpoint the location.

Also helping with this will be to give as specific directions as possible to the person on the phone. Practice where a fire truck would be able to get to put out the fire.